This is the first single by blogger, model, and all-around Harajuku Cinderella story Kyary Pamyu Pamyu. The song was produced by Yasutaka Nakata, he of Perfume and capsule, for Warner Music Japan.

I know I gave the Mirror Shaded One a hard time in my recent piece on Perfume + Cars 2 + Polyrhythm, but I think this track ranks as some kind of return to form. “PONPONPON” is exquisitely pitched right on on the razor’s edge between catchy and annoying; where real pop music resides. Half will love it, half will hate it. Either way, it sure makes an impression and that PON PON WAY WAY WAY PON PON WAY PON WAY PON PON chorus will probably take over your brain for at least a little while. So mission accomplished.

Kyary Pamyu Pamyu welcomes you to the doll house. Aren't girls weird?

A lot of the charm comes from the sharply-edited music video; which looks like one of those hallucinogenic everything-but-the-kitchen-sink KERA magazine photo spreads come to life (it also reminds me a little bit of Ayaya Matsuraa's 2003 clip for "N~e?", although I reckon that's my problem). The balancing act between really kawaii and really grotesque should come as no surprise. My friend Sebastian Masuda designed the set. I recognize at least half the toys and junk food wrappers from his "sensational-lovey" Harajuku boutique 6%DOKIDOKI. He also has a background in avant garde theater which leads to a certain kind of asthetic best typified by:

How powerfully surreal and strange girl's lives can be via their fancy goods and accessory littered rooms! I always felt that Sebastian should create a mutant kid’s show of some sort, maybe featuring 6% shop girls Yuka and Vani carrying on the torch from Kure Kure Takora to Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. While “PONPONPON” isn’t quite a breakthrough on that level, I sincerely hope that it’s a jumping off point for more adventures from all involved.

Pamyu Pamyu appears to be farting patterns from the Spinns Harajuku summer collection out of her butt.

If anyone deserves a shot at the big time, it's the ne0-Harajuku mafia of Cute Model x Nakata x 6%DOKIDOKI (and Big Record Label would probably like it, too). They've even titled Pamyu Pamyu's debut mini-album -- due later this summer -- “Moshi Moshi Harajuku” to make things real easy. I don't have figures about the current health of the Harajuku consumer market (I did see that FRUiTS magazine came with penny-saving coupons for local shops last issue) but if they keep their aim on the 136,210 Facebook followers of Tokyo Fashion and co., then maybe it could fly. After all, it's been seven long years since Gwen Steffani's Harajuku Girls' first tried to co-opt whatever scene there was back then. I'd like to think that we're all smarter and more connected now and that a new local hero like Kyary Pamyu Pamyu could be appreciated outside of a few square blocks in Shibuya-ku.

Maybe you'd like something more “slick” or “adult”, but I'd prefer to overdose on eye candy in a "sensational-lovely" world where PONPONPON gets 8 million hits instead of the humorless gyrations of HYUNA's “Bubble Pop”.

Now how about you?

UPDATE

Submitted for your approval: an English translation of the lyrics to “PONPONPON” via WonkyTranslation. She implores me to tell you that she reckons it's about "90% accurate". More cavets at her site.